Cap and Trade

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 14, 2015

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column calls attention to article by Michael Levi in Democracy magazine, in which Levi makes case that shale gas industry must needs be incorporated into larger federal energy policy whose goal is to drive down carbon emissions; praises argument for bring clear-eyed view to both benefits and drawbacks of shale gas. MORE

Jul. 13, 2015

Nuclear power plant in Grafenrheinfeld, Germany, shuts down; move is seen as milestone in Germany's push to establish nuclear-free alternative energy system by 2022 that will help cut greenhouse gas emissions. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Somerset, Colo, is among many former coal towns across United States whose futures have been thrown into uncertainty by shift toward less expensive and cleaner-burning natural gas; some residents report feeling unfairly targeted by federal environmental regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

China, United States and Brazil report significant progress on environmental initiatives, positive sign as nations prepare for global summit meeting aimed at establishing agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions; scientists say that efforts will still not be sufficient to stave off atmospheric temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsisus, level widely seen as tipping point for extreme storms, drought, resource shortages and rising sea levels. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column observes that Republican opposition to 'cap and trade' policy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions has backfired, redirecting nation to standards-based policy that is far more expensive and inefficient; argues that opposition is at odds with conservative belief in free market, and history of similar successful efforts; argues that powerful incentive must be put in place to reduce fossil fuel use, but that it must also be politically tenable. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

United Airlines is set to announce $30 million investment in Fulcrum BioEnergy, along with groundbreaking plans to use Fulcrum biofuel in route from Los Angeles to San Francisco; investment is largest yet by domestic airline in alternative fuel, highlighting pressure airlines are under to reduce carbon emissions; BioEnergy's product is derived from farm waste and oil from animal fats. MORE

Jun. 29, 2015

Members of environmental and religious organizations march to Pope Francis' weekly Sunday address in St Peter's Square to thank him for his encyclical, strongly worded address on climate change; many hope encyclical will influence world leaders to reach binding comprehensive global accord on greenhouse gas emissions at December 2015 United Nations summit meeting on climate change. MORE

Jun. 25, 2015

Hague District Court in Netherlands orders Dutch government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 percent from 1990 levels in next five years as result of groundbreaking lawsuit brought by environmental group Urgenda; decision, citing work of scientific bodies and human rights law, is expected to spur more lawsuits by organizations focused on mitigating and preventing climate change against other governments. MORE

Jun. 20, 2015

Environmental Protection Agency and Transportation Dept unveil new rules that set strict fuel efficiency standards for large trucking rigs used in transportation of goods; rules, along with others that will address smaller trucks, are latest that aim to reduce planet-warming carbon pollution. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Environmental scientists agree with Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, in which he says humans are causing potentially catastrophic climate change via greenhouse gas emissions. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment calls for swift action to curb burning of fossil guels and also condemns carbon trading, policy most widely adopted by governments to combat climate change. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment is likely to further push big institutions to sell holdings tied to fossil-fuel stocks, blessing for divestment activists. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

David Gelles Revalued column observes that Norway's decision to rid its $890 billion pension fund of stakes in coal companies signals tipping point in green divestment movement that began in 2011; cites data indicating that divestment campaigns have little impact on a company's investor base, share price or creditworthiness; argues that they nonetheless have shaming value, potentially making it more difficult for companies to recruit, influence policy, or raise capital. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

Environmental Protection Agency will launch initiative to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes, but admits it will probably take years before strict standards are put in place; says airplane emissions add to global warming. MORE

Jun. 10, 2015

Federal court throws out Murray Energy v EPA lawsuit, which was brought by largest coal companies in nation and 14 coal-producing states against Obama administration over proposed rule to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants; rules challenge is premature given that measure, part of Obama administration's broad climate change policies, has not gone into effect. MORE

Jun. 7, 2015

Op-Ed article by science scholars Robert Kopp, Matthew Huber and Jonathan Buzan warns that deadly heat waves like current one in India, deadliest since at least 1998, will become increasingly common due to global warming; notes that heat waves become deadly when they combine heat and humidity; observes that reducing greenhouse gas emissions could curtail threat heat waves pose for future. MORE

Jun. 7, 2015

Editorial welcomes call from European oil companies BG Group, BP, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Statoil and Total for tax on carbon emissions; underscores many benefits of such a tax, for both business and the environment; urges world leaders gathering in Paris to discuss climate change agreement to aggressively pursue carbon tax policy. MORE

Jun. 3, 2015

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column argues that quarter-century effort to get large polluting nations to voluntarily lower greenhouse gas emissions by necessary margins has failed; supports idea of international 'climate club,' in which member nations would impose uniform tariff 4 percent on imports from nonmember countries; says such an economic stick is likely to induce universal participation in effort to fight climate change. MORE

Jun. 3, 2015

Environmental Protection Agency prepares to report that greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes endanger human health because they significantly contribute to global warming; so-called 'endangerment finding' will prompt requirement under Clean Air Act for agency to issue new regulations, joining string of new rules that have become hallmark of Pres Obama's environmental legacy. MORE

May. 31, 2015

Environmental Protection Agency is expected to propose regulations that would cut greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty trucks by requiring up to 40 percent increase in fuel economy by 2027, compared with 2010 levels; regulations will require innovation from truck manufacturers and have caused concern among some in trucking industry. MORE

May. 22, 2015

Nineteen of the top 25 school bus markets in United States have been adding buses that run on propane to their fleets, as well as buses fueled by other alternative fuels; shift away from gasoline and diesel has been occurring in anticipation of more stringent fuel emissions standards. MORE

May. 21, 2015

Editorial heralds International Monetary Fund report finding that global community could reduce premature deaths from air pollution by 55 percent by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies; notes elimination of such subsidies, which amount to some $5.3 trillion worldwide, would not only benefit human lives, but would also significantly reduce greenhouse gases due to decreased consumption. MORE

May. 16, 2015

Canadian Prime Min Stephen Harper's government says country will cut greenhouse emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and that it has formally submitted this goal to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. MORE

May. 5, 2015

Study published in journal Nature Climate Change finds that carbon emissions standards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2015 for coal-fired power plants in United State will substantially improve human health and prevent thousands of premature deaths each year. MORE

May. 2, 2015

Concessions at Progressive Field, home to Cleveland Indians, are transforming food waste into energy and fertilizer at plant run by renewable energy firm Quasar; Environmental Protection Agency says estimated 34 tons of food waste annually is biggest part of landfills, which cause 18 percent of nation's methane emissions. MORE

Apr. 30, 2015

California Gov Jerry Brown issues executive order rapidly increasing state's plan to control greenhouse gas emissions; order, which would require drastic 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2030, is part of Brown's plan to put California on forefront of world's efforts to address climate change. MORE

Apr. 23, 2015

Bridgeport, Conn, Mayor Bill Finch is committed to green energy policies in effort to reduce city's carbon emissions by 2020; his success been notable, with Energy Dept citing city's efforts at building largest fuel-cell generating station in North America; stationary fuel cells, which convert hydrogen to electricity, can replace power plants; Bridgeport's complex is currently generating enough electricity to power 15,000 of city's 51,000 homes. MORE

Apr. 23, 2015

Hundreds of coal-fired plants across United States will be forced to close under Environmental Protection Agency rules aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2030; electric utility officials warn that transition of nation's electrical power system away from coal could cause blackouts if new sources of electricity do not come on line in time. MORE

Apr. 17, 2015

Federal judges are skeptical of challenge to proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule on climate change that could ultimately shut down hundreds of coal plants by pushing states to use cleaner forms of energy for electric power. MORE

Apr. 7, 2015

Harvard Law Prof Laurence H Tribe's emergence as leading legal opponent of Pres Obama's global warming policy surprises many, since Obama worked under Tribe at Harvard and Tribe served in his administration; Tribe has been retained by Peabody Energy to block Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on carbon dioxide emissions. MORE

Apr. 5, 2015

Washington Gov Jay Inslee has proposed groundbreaking environmental program that would collect emissions charge from industries like oil refineries and power plants, and invest funds in bread-and-butter programs like education and transportation rather than climate change projects; program, which tackles multiple problems and steers clear of some of politics surrounding global warming, represents Inslee's practical approach to issue. MORE

Apr. 1, 2015

White House reveals Pres Obama's plan for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2025; plan, part of joint pledge made with Chinese Pres Xi Jinping, relies on Obama's executive authority for its execution and has been widely criticized by Republican lawmakers. MORE

Mar. 31, 2015

Study published in journal Nature Geoscience warns that iconic aspen forests of American West could be killed off by mid-century due to drought and heat accompanying climate change; finding adds support to growing argument that global effect of greenhouse gas emissions could be endangering forests worldwide. MORE

Mar. 26, 2015

Supreme Court appears split in case over whether Environmental Protection Agency violated Clean Air Act; lawyers for industry groups and 20 states say EPA rules setting limits on power plant emissions did not consider high costs they would cause; agency did not undertake cost-benefit analysis. MORE

Mar. 26, 2015

Op-Ed article by Prof Richard L Revesz examines public attacks by liberal icon and legal scholar Laurence H Tribe against Pres Obama for Clean Power Plan that would regulate carbon emissions from power plants; observes rift has been all the more compelling because Tribe and Obama are longtime friends; holds Tribe is mistaken in his argument that regulations would be unconstitutional. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

Research shows that Amazon rain forest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide peaked in 1990s and has fallen by half since, diminishing its ability to help stem global warming. MORE

Mar. 20, 2015

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has started aggressive campaign to block Pres Obama’s climate agenda by reaching out to governors with legal blueprint on how they can stop rules in their states; his campaign, focused far beyond his official reach, is geared at halting set of Environmental Protection Agency rules requiring states to cut carbon pollution coal-fired power plants. MORE

Mar. 20, 2015

Pres Obama signs executive order committing federal agencies to reduce their emissions by average of 40 percent over decade and increase use of electricity from renewable sources by 30 percent; move is effort to set example for private companies and to hold to climate agreement with China, as well as part of Obama's expanding use of presidential authority to bypass Republican-controlled Congress. MORE

Mar. 18, 2015

Urban Green Council, New York chapter of United States Green Building Council, reports excessive heat is lost in winter from leaks in New York City buildings, particularly from elevator shafts; recommends inexpensive retrofitting of large multifamily buildings, which could save city at least $11 million per year and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30,000 metric tons. MORE

Mar. 14, 2015

International Energy Agency issues preliminary estimates that show carbon dioxide emissions did not increase in 2014, first time in four decades that economic expansion has not been accompanied by an increase in carbon dioxide levels; findings suggest measures to counteract climate change may be working. MORE

Mar. 9, 2015

Editorial criticizes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for calling on nation's governors to undermine Pres Obama's push to regulate power plant emissions of carbon dioxide; argues that strategy is cynically political and deeply irresponsible, threatening to undo nation's credibility as a leader in the fight against climate change. MORE

Mar. 3, 2015

Report by European Environment Agency says that European Union is on track to meet or surpass 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal, but that stronger policies are needed in order to meet ambitious 2050 goal; cites transportation as area that will require significant change. MORE

Feb. 28, 2015

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column applauds Michael R Bloomberg's sensible suggestion that Obama administration negotiate directly with Canada to come up with way to offset carbon emissions from Keystone XL Pipeline; holds many share Bloomberg's assertion that pipeline's economic and environmental impact has been overstated by both sides; says pipeline should give Obama tremendous leverage in negotiating for greater environmental good. MORE

Feb. 24, 2015

American Energy Innovation Council, group of executives that includes Bill Gates and Jeffrey R Immelt, urges federal government to increase energy research as strategic national priority; says by not spending enough on research it is risking goals of cutting carbon emissions and reducing energy poverty. MORE

Feb. 23, 2015

Editorial observes while India's citizens are beginning to wake up to dire consequences of air pollution, its government is still doing little to reverse course; notes India has 13 of world's most polluted cities, and that some 1.5 million residents die each year from chronic respiratory illness; calls on government to make new strides at global summit on climate change, particularly in relation to its vast consumption of coal. MORE

The 219-212 vote marked the first time that either house of Congress has approved a bill aimed at curbing the heat-trapping gases scientists have linked to climate change, and it could lead to sweeping changes in the economy.

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President Obama will unveil on Monday a set of environmental regulations devised to sharply cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from the nation’s power plants and ultimately transform America’s electricity industry.